Improvement in eoese hat-poeks



-niteh tate @anni @ffice IMPROVEMENT IN VltlItSll v HAY-FORKS.

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"ro ALL WHoM IT MAY' CONCERN:

Be it known that I, D.' F. NEIKIRK, of Republic, in the county of Seneca, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay-Forks; and I do hereby Vdeclare that the following is a full and complete description of the construction and operation 'of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making-apart of this specification, in whieh- Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of' the fork in diiferent positions.

Figure 3 is a detached section.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the views. v v

Uy 'present invention is designed as an improvement in the hay-fork patented byme February 23, 1864,

My said improvement consists in giving a curved or angular form to the teeth or tines,- applying'a loop to the bail, and arranging a spring-catch Yon the central support, which is between the central cross-pivot and the bail; these features or changes enablingme to construct the hay-fork on the same general plan as that described in my .patent above referred to, while they also enable me to greatly enhance the utility of the fork for general purposes. i Y i One of the lending characteristics of my patented-fork, and the one on which I now claim an improvement, is this.: The two outer tines are terminated in a wrought-iron or steel head. To this head thetwo inner tines are fastened, and all the tines are pivoted, near the middle of their length, or at the curve or at the angle thereof, to a strong cross-rod or bar, which rod is`supported, by a strong central stay of the hail, and bythe .two arms or ends of the bail itself. It is only in connection with a hay-fork of this construction that I. claim a patent for the improvements I shall hereinafter describe, and which are represented in the drawings. Y

A A represent the prongs oi' the fork, of which there may be any desired number, formed as shown-in figs. l and 2. The two outside prongs A extend round at one end, as at Af', being made of one piece, forming 'the head of the rake, to which the other prongs are seeured. Through all the prongs, at a suitable distance from the head or end A", extends a rod, B, that the forli can turn on, and on the end of it is attached a head, C, which tits round' on the outside of the head A, At the centre of the head C is secured an arm, D, that is bent round or connected to the rod B at one end, and the other endis formed into a loop, E, to which the rope is designed to be connected that suspends the fork. In this arm, at e, is pivoted a catch, F, clearly seen in iig.

3, on the back end of which rests and presses a spring,'c,that keeps the catch up against the head A", as represented, securing thehead C and A of the fork together, as in tig. 1. To the lower end of the catch, at g., is attached a cord or` rope, 7i, whereby the catch is released from the head A to allow the prongs to turn 'down on the rod B for the purpose of taking up or discharging a. load.

In using the fork, when it is let down upo'n the hay to take up a load, the head A is released from the 'catch and the prongs of the fork placed in the hay, when the head C is adjusted over on to the headA of the fork, and secured by the spring-eatch-F, when, by pulling on the `rope that suspends the fork, the fork, with its load, is raised up, and can be swung over into theI bay or place for its. reception. Then, by'pulling the cord 71, the catch is removed from its hold on the hcad'A, when the gravity of the hay will at once cause the prongs to turn downl and thehay will slide offinto the bay. The fork is let down in this position for another load, when theprongs are sunkinto the hay and thc head C turned over on to the head A, so that the catch will fasten on to the head of the fork, as before stated, being most convenient in its adjustment, and the fork, as constructed and arranged, operates with the greatest facility.

What I claim asA new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isf-` The hay-fork, with curved or angular tines, a central support, D, a bail which ail'ords end supports and to' which the hoisting-rope attached, and a pivoted connection which passes through the fork at a point near the curve or at the angle' of its tines, when such fork has its spring-catch arranged on the central support D, and also 'has a loop, E, attached to or formed on the hail, all ,of the said parts being arranged and operated substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein described.

D. F. NEIKIRK.

Witnesses:

JOHN S. SMITH, CLARA Snrm. 

